Snap issues still plaguing Bengals’ Price
The problem of firstround pick Billy Price struggling with centerquarterback exchanges stuck in the background as a concerning trend of early camp practices. But the rookie was given a benefit of the doubt considering his lack of experience with snaps under center at any other level of football.
The benefit of the doubt might have been left on the field Saturday — along with four other Price snaps in the Bengals’ annual mock game.
“We have to get better with it,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “There's no question. It has continued to linger.”
The first came on a shotgun snap that Andy Dalton didn’t handle and he took responsibility. Two more came with Matt Barkley under center and a third on the first snap of a series with Jeff Driskel.
“We had one with each quarterback,” Lewis said. “Same center and each quarterback. So Billy has just got to understand how Bengals center Billy Price had troubles snapping to three different quarterbacks during the Bengals’ annual mock game on Saturday. important that is. That's step one. We do have to make sure. We've got to do some things a little differently as we practice it and doing things in their individual time.”
Price indicated earlier in camp he thought he had only snapped to a quarterback under center twice in his life before coming to camp. The rookie missed all of the work with a defense lined up over him during the offseason program as he recovered from his pectoral injury.
Nearly every day during camp there had been at least one exchange issue. There was a thought it was getting better, but that was mostly with Dalton. Therein lies part of the problem on Saturday, offensive line coach Frank Pollack said.
“It’s been all Andy, Andy, Andy,” Pollack said. “He has got to work more with all the quarterbacks. This is the most rotation of different quarterbacks he has had to work with, that’s the nature of this practice. It’s got to get fixed, it’s going to get fixed. We have to put a little bit more attention to it. Tweak the drill a little bit. Make it a little more intense when we do it in pre-practice.”
Driskel pointed out the center-quarterback exchange is the first thing they work on every day out before practice begins. Some quarterbacks may back out quicker than others. Some may be looking for a different timing. When Driskel went out for his first snap on Saturday, it was a rare occurrence that he was behind Price.
“Billy and Andy have been working pretty much exclusively so they can get it right,” Driskel said. “Matt and I have taken very few snaps from him. But at the end of the day that doesn’t matter. First things first, you have to get the snap right. You can’t put it on one guy or the other, it’s both guys involved. Just got to get that corrected.”
Many of these snap issues have come on the first play of a drill or even of the day as camp has unfolded. But Pollack balked at the idea this is potentially a mental issue. Price declined to talk after the practice.
“I don’t think he’s pressing,” Pollack said. “He’s just got different quarterbacks. He’s got to work with the different quarterbacks. They have all different fits.”